Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.48.13-14
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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nara-vara-śreṣṭhān
—
the greatest of illustrious personalities
Compound: nara (man) + vara (chief) + śreṣṭha (best). Akrūra sees them under their human cover; the Bhāgavatam piles superlatives so the reader knows what he is seeing under that cover.
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pratyutthāya
—
rising up to receive
Past participle of prati + ut + √sthā — to rise in someone's presence. The gṛhastha's first duty to a guest. Smṛti prescribes pratyutthāna for any honored guest; Akrūra performs it for the Lord of all guests.
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vidhi-vat
—
according to scriptural injunctions
Compound: vidhi (rule, ordinance) + vat (suffix meaning 'in accord with'). Akrūra is a Vedic gentleman; he worships Kṛṣṇa exactly as śāstra prescribes for honored guests — even though the guest is the source of śāstra Himself.
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bāndhavān
—
relatives, kinsmen
From bandhu — one bound by ties of blood or affection. Akrūra is Kṛṣṇa's father's cousin's son, a Yādava. The verse uses the warmer word bāndhava rather than the formal jñāti: kinship as affection, not as legal degree.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out that Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the others approached Akrūra in a friendly attitude. At first Akrūra reciprocated that friendly mood, and then, in the course of showing them hospitality, he adopted his natural devotional attitude toward the Lord and thus offered his obeisances to Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Śrī Balarāma.
Kṛṣṇa showed friendliness for Akrūra similar to his friendship with the Pāṇḍavas in going to his house. Akrūra responded in a similar manner from the beginning of the visit. Seeing from afar the best among the most excellent men (nara-vara-śreṣṭhān), by standing on his roof and gazing into the distance, he became joyful and stood up, and went to meet them. Then he embraced them and greeted them with praise. Later, treating them as guests while taking support of his bhakti, after realizing their powers when his true nature arose, he offered respects to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. He also treated Uddhava properly as a friend for it is said vaiṣṇave bandhu-sat-kṛtyā: one may worship me within the Vaiṣṇavas by offering loving friendship to them and honoring them in all respects. (SB 11.11.44) He was also greeted by the three (taih) in the same way. Instead of abhinanditaḥ sometimes abhivāditaḥ is seen.
He saw the best (śreṣṭha) among the Yadus (nara-vara) or the most worthy of being worshipped (vara-śreṣṭha) among men. This shows they were most worthy of worship. They were relatives. This shows they were object of great affection. Because of this seeing them from afar, he was overjoyed. He welcomed them with kind words. He offered respects to Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma because they were the supreme Lords. He did not offer respects to Uddhava since he was the son of his brother. Kṛṣṇa is mentioned first because he is svayam bhagavān. As was suitable, he offered with faith the best seats, foot water and arghya.
When the king arrives unannounced, the proper host does not stand stiff with protocol — he runs, embraces, bows, seats, worships. Akrūra performs all the steps in their precise order, like a man who has been rehearsing the welcome since he first saw Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in the Yamunā.
My note
Source: vedabase.io